A majority of people want stricter gun laws–a 15-point increase from April. And an almost exact majority–53%–want an assault weapons ban. (The New York Times)

How bad is the GOP viewed? “The NRA is viewed far more positively than the GOP, 41% to 26%, in new WSJ/NBC poll.” (Neil King)

“The GOP’s 49% negative rating is the highest we have ever recorded. Tea Party movement also saw all-time high in neg rating” (Chuck Todd)

Looking for major policy initiatives coming out of the House GOP’s 3-day Virginia retreat? Look elsewhere. “Tentative plans are emerging from the meetings to couple repeated short-term increases of the debt ceiling with more modest demands on spending cuts.” In other words: permanent financial crises. (Roll Call)

The problem? The House GOP just don’t know what to do: “If Republicans are asked what they can reasonably expect to accomplish in the next six months, after a variety of fights with the president, they don’t have an answer. What would constitute an achievable victory? They don’t really know.” (Byron York)

And another key line from the same article: “For a party that just a few months ago hoped for big, big victories, Williamsburg is an exercise in painful reality.” (Byron York)

“So House GOP retreat was about not defaulting on the debt and not saying stupid things about rape. These should not need to be topics!” (Ezra Klein)

The “ouch!” line of the day: “As someone who just turned 59, I can make this next provocative statement: Democrats are doing better among voters who can be considered the future. Republicans are doing well among those who could be described as the pre-dead.” (Cook Report)